Comment EI-24939
Received or sent (printed as 7/14/2016)
The Porter County (Indiana) Board of Commissioners is opposed to the construction of the rail project by Great Lakes Basin Transportation and has submitted an alternative route. This alternative route starts at Kingsbury, Indiana in Laporte County, continues South into Starke County and then West through Jasper County. With this, Porter County would not be affected by this project. In doing so, the residents of Jasper County have been thrown under the bus" by Porter County. As a land owner and resident of Jasper County, I am strongly opposed to the construction of this project. Without going into great detail, the concerns I have include the following: 1) quality of life for residents near the rail 2) environmental concerns 3) the alternative route runs though several towns which Frank Patton, Chairman of Great Lakes Basin Transportation, has said many times that he would not do 4) reduction in property values 5) noise pollution 6) the splitting of farms and fields leading to reduced efficiency and access 7) automotive traffic concerns with increased rail traffic causing delays 8) safety concerns for emergency vehicles (see #7 above) 9) pollution risks with the products being transported by rail should there be an accidental spill or derailment If the alternative route is considered, you must notify the people affected and allow them to voice their concerns to give them the same opportunity as those people in the original route. From what I have read, the overwhelming majority of land owners, municipalities, schools and special interest groups are opposed to this project. The bottom line is that we do not want it! I would hope that the Surface Transportation Board gives full consideration to these concerns. If the people don't want it, then please put a stop to it now."
Submitted by: Matt Sheafer
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35952/comment/EI-24939 · back to the docket sheet